Qatar Joins 2029 Club World Cup Bidding Alongside Brazil, Morocco, And Spain (image-X/InterMiamiCF)
Qatar may get the chance to host the FIFA Club World Cup 2029, as they have expressed their interest in bidding to host. Qatar is among the countries to have expressed interest, alongside Brazil, Morocco, and Spain. As per the Guardian report, the Qatari representatives have held talks with FIFA officials at the highest level during the tournament in the United States and indicated its desire to stage the next edition in four years’ time.
As of now, the nine stadiums which were constructed in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup remain in place, in which six are being used regularly to stage games in the top-flight Qatar Stars League.
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In 2022, when Qatar had hosted the World Cup, the tournament was held in winter, forcing every domestic league to pause for over a month. However, it had said that they would be able to host a carbon-neutral tournament, in stark contrast to the current World Cup, which has involved flying all over the United States with venues in 11 different cities. Though the proposed tournament logistics may suit FIFA, the extreme heat during summer poses a problem.
High temperature and extreme weather conditions had posed a problem in the ongoing revamped season as well, with six matches being delayed. The recent delay in the Chelsea match of two hours led to heavy criticism from Blues’ manager, as he condemned it as “a joke”.
Players from several clubs have complained about the conditions throughout the tournament, and the global players’ union FifPro is due to address their welfare concerns in a press conference on Monday.
During the informal discussion, it is mostly understood that December 2029 has been the most likely slot for the Club World Cup in Qatar. A fierce opposition by the European League, including the Premier League, is of sure due to the disruption it may cause to the domestic seasons. The international lobby group European Leagues is already taking legal action against FIFA, along with FifPro, over an alleged lack of consultation about the Club World Cup, and staging the next tournament in Qatar would exacerbate this conflict.
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Moreover, though the dates haven’t been confirmed yet, there has been wide speculation that the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia will be shifted to the winter.
Though FIFA had awarded the 2025 Club World Cup to the United States without any bidding process, it is expected to hold a formal contest for the right to stage the 2029 tournament, given the level of interest.
